First pickling cucumbers (they are big) plus rainbow chard, basil (from pruning the tips), and flowers.
Category: Harvest
More Harvesting – Garlic and First Zucchini
This morning, I harvested my garlic. The total haul: 18 Russian Red hardnecks and 17 Transylvanian softnecks. On November 8, I had planted 16 hardnecks (some of them split resulting in 18 bulbs) and 18 softnecks (meaning I only lost one over the winter). They will now spend a day or two on the porch airing out before I brush off the dirt and hang them to dry and cure in my hallway for about three weeks.
I also harvested my first Cocozelle zucchini (zucchino?). Looking forward to grilling it and the two eggplants I harvested yesterday. After grilling, I will add a tiny bit more olive oil and sprinkle a little chopped mint on the zucchini and chopped basil on the eggplant. Served with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, olives, prosciutto, crusty bread – perfect summer antipasti!
Garlic update (July 14): This morning, I cleaned the dirt off the garlic – careful to not take off any papery skin – and tied them in bundles of about 8 bulbs each. They now join the shallots in my airy back hallway to cure. It is fine if some dirt stays. It will all be removed after the garlic has been fully cured.
Eggplant
Today, I also harvested two Asian eggplants. This deserves a separate post and needs to be celebrated, as I have not had much luck with eggplants in my plot in the past. I did not grow this particular plant from seed but rather purchased it from Neighborhood Farms back in May. It did exceptionally well in my plot, and today, I harvested the first two eggplants.
Shallots
Today, I harvested my Roderique shallots, a French banana-shaped type. It is the first time I have a real crop, yay! I am so excited as I absolutely love shallots, and they supposedly store very well. Last year, I only harvested three bulbs total (the rabbits got the rest), but this time around it is 34. I had planted them on April 26, and they were ready for harvest as they had started to lean with the bulbs pushing out of the ground, and the foliage was starting to yellow.
I will now let them cure in the shade on my porch for the next two weeks before I prepare them for long time storage, either by braiding them or just cutting off the stems and storing the bulbs in the pantry.
I found three seed shallots from back in April. The have come a long way since 🙂
I cure my shallots on my south-facing back porch. It is shaded for part of the day by large trees, but there are a few hours of full sun in the afternoon. Last year, I devised a method to shade my garlic while curing – weighted-down umbrellas. It worked great, so here we go again.
UPDATE (July 12, 2026): I had to move the shallots inside a little earlier than planned. Ideally, I had wanted them to air out on the porch for another day, but the garlic was ready to be harvested, and I needed the space. So, I carefully brushed off much of the dirt this morning and hung them in 4 bundles of about eight each in my back hallway to cure. They will stay there for two weeks, and I will check on them regularly and move them around to ensure they dry out and cure evenly.
Lettuce Harvest
Last night, I harvested the remaining lettuce from the garden plot. About five heads total. I cleaned them all and stored them in the fridge. Just in time for the big heat wave that is supposed to start the day after tomorrow, Wednesday. We are expecting temperatures of 100F (feeling like 113F), so I will not be turning on the stove. Salad it will be for dinner.
Plot Update
This morning, I harvested two heads of lettuce form the garden plot. The garlic scapes are coming in, and with the recent heat, things are growing nicely. I also finished weeding the communal bed, planted the last Zinnias there and mulched the entire bed with straw.
Radish Time
Today, I harvested my porch radishes. So crisp and sharp. So good!
Overwintered Leeks
Last night, I harvested my overwintered leeks. They looked pretty rough in early spring but recovered beautifully, and some of them are enormous. I also pulled green garlic from a forgotten and accidentally overwintered plant. I am thinking leek quiche or leek tart; not sure yet what to use the green garlic for, maybe pesto.
Spinach
This morning, I harvested the spinach on my back porch. We have had a couple of warm days (in the eighties), and it was starting to bolt. Tomorrow, it will be in the nineties, so time to harvest. In total, my two 12-inch containers yielded 190 grams (6.75 oz.). Not bad. It will be a nice addition to our dinner tonight.
One of the two containers has a parsley plant in the center, and I am adding nasturtium around it. In the other, I planted some tiny Iceland Mix poppy seedlings. It is my first time growing poppies. They are supposed to be difficult to transplant as their roots do not like to be disturbed. Fingers crossed.
Rhubarb
Forgot to post my first real harvest of the year (May 11). A handful of rhubarb, which I turned into a strawberry-rhubarb compote served over vanilla ice cream for dessert. So good!